Clive Blake Shares Insights On Poetry, Humor, And The Heartfelt Inspiration Behind His Cornish Roots
Photo: Cornish Poet Clive Blake, whose heartfelt verses and unique humor have earned him recognition as a global poetic treasure.
A Galactic Tour Through Life
Clive Blake discusses the influence of Cornwall, humor’s power in poetry, live performance, and creating captivating works on diverse themes like mental health, disability, and the environment.
Clive Blake is a poetic treasure whose work stands as a captivating bridge between humor, reflection, and the distinctive soul of Cornwall. A proud Cornishman through and through, the essence of his heritage pulses through his verses, offering readers a glimpse into the vibrant landscapes and unique cultural tapestry of his beloved region. Known far and wide as “Cornish Poet Clive Blake,” his poetry traverses themes of nature, emotional depth, humor, and social consciousness with a versatility that has earned him global acclaim—not to mention topping Google searches across varied topics for years. It’s no wonder that Blake has become one of poetry’s most compelling voices today.
At Mosaic Digest, we celebrate voices that elevate the conversation, and Clive Blake exemplifies this with effortless grace. His latest book Clive’s Uni-Verse – A Cornishman’s Take on Life takes readers on an A to Z poetic journey, showcasing his remarkable range—everything from Abominable Snowmen to Zebras, woven together in an imaginative galactic tour. Whether performing live as “Clive Live” or collaborating with artists and photographers across the world, Blake’s ability to connect with audiences through his words and images is nothing short of remarkable.
In this exclusive interview for Mosaic Digest Magazine, we delve into the mind of the poet whose work explores diverse topics, from environmental preservation to mental health, with a gentle wisdom that moves hearts without ever sounding didactic. Blake brings humor to moments of the absurd, emotional authenticity to themes of disability, and reflection to the complexities of life—all while leaving his readers with lingering smiles or stirring thoughts. Join us as we uncover the craft, inspiration, and philosophies behind the multi-dimensional poetry of Clive Blake, whose work proves that poetry’s boundaries are limitless if the heart is involved.
Clive Blake’s poetry masterfully blends humor, emotional depth, and Cornish heritage, creating works that engage, uplift, and inspire readers worldwide.
Your poetry ranges from humorous to deeply reflective. How do you decide which tone to take when approaching a new poem?
The tone I take and form of a new poem is not usually a conscious decision by me, as it just emerges from the hidden depths of my very shallow brain!
Cornwall and your Celtic heritage are central to your work. In what ways do the Cornish landscape and culture influence your creative process?
Cornwall has a great range of landscapes and habitats, which can’t help but influence any poet. The Celts have always been known for their creative skills, so I like to think my Celtic DNA accounts for some of these creative abilities. My emotional attachment to the place where I live is strong and colours the way I see the world.
Clive’s Uni-Verse is described as a “galactic tour” through life. What inspired the structure and scope of this A to Z poetic journey?
I decided to produce a book containing 100 of my best loved poem’s, setting myself the added challenge of an alphabetical sort of their titles would cover all 26 letters of the alphabet. Not many poets write poems about Abominable Snowmen, Birthday Candles, Milk Bottles and Zebras, as well as more conventional topics, so the galactic tour of life is merely what this range of poems cover.
You’ve had poems top Google searches across a wide range of themes. Which of these topics has surprised you the most in its popularity?
Because much of my poetry is in illustrated formats, it is the Google Images searches where my poetry often come first, but since a selection of the image section is often displayed at the top of the All page, it means my poetry often tops both the Image and All pages.
Until recently, Google used to show the number of results found when searches were made, so I was very surprised to find my Quality Time poem coming 1st in a search of Quality Poets, which had 1,280,000,000 results. My Cornwall Explored, Pl-ease and Chariots Of The Surf poems are also good examples regarding regularly coming 1st in Cornish Poem, Disability Poem and Surfing Poem searches.
As a live performer under “Clive Live,” how does the audience’s reaction shape your relationship with your own poetry?
By performing live I get real-time feedback as to which of my poems are most popular with a variety of audiences. This doesn’t necessarily affect the poetry I find myself writing, but does affect my poetry selections for different audiences.
“The tone I take…just emerges from the hidden depths of my very shallow brain!” – Clive Blake
Your 2009 Phoetry Book combines poetry with photography. What was it like collaborating with Chris Robbins, and how did the visual elements change the way you write?
Chris is a brilliant photographer and many of his photographs inspired me to write poems to combine with them, which forced me to write poems on topics I might not otherwise have considered. I enjoyed the collaboration side of things so much I have gone on to collaborate with artists and photographers from all over the world, including Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, UK, Ukraine and the USA.
Humor plays an important role in your poetry. What do you think makes humor such a powerful tool in poetic expression?
The world can be a cruel and depressing place at times, so although there will always be an important place for deep and reflective poems, it is equally important for the sake of our mental health, that they are balanced with humorous and uplifting poetry. This is something I always strive to achieve in my poetry. But This Is An Emergency is an example of one of my humorous poems and Dance Till You Reach The Moon an example of an uplifting poem.
You’ve spoken openly about disability and its presence in your life and work. How has that perspective informed the themes or emotional depth of your poems?
Yes, I am S.S.I. (Severely Sight Impaired/Registered Blind).
I, obviously, do write on topics of which I have no personal experience, which is fine, but I think when I write poems about
Disability, being disabled myself, gives my writing an extra level of emotional credibility.
Some of your poems deal with issues like the environment and mental health. How do you approach socially conscious topics without sounding didactic?
I try hard not to preach or talk down to my readers and audiences, nor suggest that I have all of the answers to any highlighted problem. My approach is to honestly lay out my thoughts on any given issue as a catalyst for helping to maybe open peoples’ minds to these issues. My Illusion poem is an example of an eco, or environmental poem and my Allow Me The Time poem is an example of me looking at the mental health issue.
What advice would you give to emerging poets who want to write accessible yet meaningful poetry that resonates with a wide audience?
My advice to emerging poets is to write poems on subjects that mean something to them and they enjoy reading and feel proud they have written. Like music, poetry also has different genres. Appreciate the fact that not everyone will like what you write, but if you enjoy reading what you write and are confident in its value, then there is every chance you will find an audience for your work.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Clive’s Uni-Verse – A Cornishman’s Take on Life
Clive Blake’s Clive’s Uni-Verse – A Cornishman’s Take on Life is a masterful and eclectic collection that truly captures the essence of human experience. From the whimsical to the profound, Blake weaves his Cornish heritage and universal observations into an A-to-Z journey of poetic wonder. Whether he explores themes of disability, environmental concerns, or the simple charm of milk bottles, each verse resonates with emotional depth and authenticity. His unique blend of humour and introspection ensures an engaging read, while his vivid descriptions of Cornish landscapes ground the reader in moments of quiet beauty. While nostalgic at times, the collection brims with inspiration and awe for life’s possibilities. Blake’s words are a testament to poetry’s boundless capacity to uplift and inspire.
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